Right-on
Wrightwood
JUNE 23rd
Check in and let us know you're coming
We have done some planning (see details above), but here's something to think about.
Pull Up a Chair and Set a Spell.
Here's Where Its Located......
And Here's a Little Story
Wrightwood is nestled 6,000 feet high in the east end of the San Gabriel Mountains. Its recorded history is as old as 1776 when the Spanish Padres met the Serrano Indians gathering food in these mountains. A mission was formed in San Bernardino where the Serrano were taught agriculture. When the mission was given to the Lujo family in the 1830's, many of the Serrano moved back into these mountains.
In 1851, the Lujo holdings were sold to a branch of the Mormon Church (after whom the incredible Mormon Rocks just off the 15 freeway were named). Two of these Mormons, Nathan and Truman Swarthout, homesteaded in Lone Pine Canyon, eventually extended their holdings to include the valley that now bears their name, and in which Wrightwood is situated. When the Mormons returned to Salt Lake City in 1857, the Swarthouts abandoned their holdings.
Almon Clyde filed a patent on the Lone Pine Canyon area in 1883 where he established a cattle ranch. The orchard that he developed adjacent to his ranch is still owned and operated by the Clyde family. Some of the original buildings can be seen from Lone Pine Canyon Road
.
Between 1886 and 1926, the Swarthout Valley was homesteaded by many men, among them Harry Heath, Earl Schuyler and Summer and Buford Wright. The Wrights eventually obtained two thirds of the valley, and it is, of course, from their name that Wrightwood got its. They established the 1,000 head Circle Mountain Ranch at the eastern end of the valley, and an apple orchard the trees of which can still be found among the homes on the Mountain View and Apple Streets. This period also saw mining and lumbering come to this area.
In 1923, Los Angeles county established a major recreational facility at Big Pines. Many of the buildings still stand (most notably one of the two stone towers that once supported a pedestrian overpass across Highway 2, west of Wrightwood). Now administered by the U.S. Forest Service, Big Pines continues to be a popular recreation area encompassing two ski resorts, several campgrounds and Jackson Lake.
In 1926, the Smithsonian Institute opened a facility on Table Mountain to conduct solar research. Thirty-five years latter the Jet Propulsion Lab opened the facility under contract by N.A.S.A.
The National Forest Scenic Byway starts just east of Wrightwood. It winds westward through the Angeles National Forest for 52 breathtaking miles terminating in La Canada. About a two hour trip, the sprawling views of the high desert.
Haven't
been on a group ride in awhile (or before), then check this out
and become more comfortable riding with your Bros. Been doin
this
for years and think you have it down pat, then check this out
to make sure we got it right....
We depend on You!
Riding
in a Group